In Rodney Smith’s book “Stepping Out of Self-Deception” he quotes the “truth of the Buddha’s words” in the following fashion. Anyone care to comment why he translates in this way? The Pali words here are not familiar to me.
Smith (p94):
‘Effortlessness reveals the natural state of all things. From this abiding we hear the truth of the Buddha’s words: “One insight is that effort is the basis of all suffering. The other insight is that by the complete cooling and cessation of effort no more suffering is produced. These are the two insights, grasp them together and with energy, dedication, and care, you can expect one of these two results. Every form of suffering grows out of effort. Eradicate effort and no more suffering is produced. Consider the harmful consequence of effort, that it is the basis of suffering. But when all effort has been abandoned there is the freedom of the effortless.”’
The footnote on this quote refers to Sutta Nipata verses 743-745. The Pali word for effort as in “Wise Effort” is vayama. This word appears once, in verse 745, as far as I can tell. These two translations appear to relate the teachings to interrupting the cycle of Dependent Origination.
Bhikkhu Bodhi’s translation of these same verses
743: “Therefore, having correctly understood,
having directly known the destruction of birth,
through the destruction of clinging the wise
do not come back to renewed existence.”
744: “Whatever suffering originates
is all conditioned by instigation.
With the cessation of instigation,
there is no origination of suffering.”
745: “Having known this danger,
‘Suffering is conditioned by instigation,’
having relinquished all instigation,
one is liberated in non-instigation.”
Bhante Sujato’s translation:
743: But those who fully understand contact,
And with final knowledge have stilled desire,
By comprehending contact,
They are wishless, quenched.
744: Whatever feelings there are,
Whether pleasant or painful,
And even including neutral,
Internal and external;
745: Knowing this as suffering,
Confusing, disintegrating;
Seeing feelings fall away with each touch,
One understands this matter.
With the ending of feelings,
One is wishless, quenched.